A Saint Lost
by dreamerdoll
Summary: And seem a saint, when most I play a devil, Harry quotes to Ron and Hermione after a particularly long, gruelling day of battle. slight HPDM


"And seem a saint, when most I play a devil," Harry Potter quoted tiredly as his best friend glared.

"What in the sodding hell do you mean by that!" Ron exclaimed angrily.

From beside he redhead, the third of the once-Golden trio remarked thoughtlessly, "It's a line from Richard the Third. Shakespeare, of course. In that quote, the speaker is saying that he seems a saint but is most like a devil."

The youngest Weasley scowled, furious. "Well, this isn't a time to be tossing out quotes, from Shapeskeare or not!"

His girlfriend didn't even bother to correct him, too intent on her own thoughts of her friend's supposed villainy. "Yes, Harry, you really do need to answer the question. I can't, I don't, believe that you would so needlessly do something like this!"

The raven-haired man stiffened. "Why? Why is it so hard to believe? Tell me, Hermione, because I don't really know."

She bit back in return, "You just condemned several people to death! You should've saved them!"

His face, which had before been calm, grew dark, and the two took an unconscious step back. "How _dare_ you! Do you think I _enjoyed_ the fact that that family would die? Do you think I _took pleasure_ from the rape of the mother and daughter, was _overjoyed_ at the pain it caused the young boy, barely five, and the husband and father of these two? Of course not. Do you know how much it _kills_ me, to have to see that?"

She scowled. "Well, I don't know. Do you? You don't exactly seem to be trying to stop it."

The candles flickered, and the tent grew darker. "_Get out_," he ordered, voice deathly calm. The two turned towards the door, about to make good their escape before Harry harmed them, when they saw a blond enter. They immediately glowered as the man went over to set an arm gently on their best friend's shoulder. The lights slowly brightened, and the temperature, which had risen several degrees, also leveled.

"I can't _believe_ you would say something so stupid," Draco Malfoy growled at the two from beside his lover, furious.

Hermione's eyes flashed, and was about to reply, when Harry spoke. "Which would you rather do, risk hundreds of lives to save a few, or risk a few lives to save hundreds?" his voice, once more, only held polite curiosity.

The unwelcome visitors looked at each other in confusion, before the bushy-haired girl turned back to Harry and replied, "Well, we'd save all of them, of course. What other choice do you have?" She shrugged.

The Boy-Who-Lived snorted. "You two are such Gryffindors," he said derisively, before continuing, voice loud and angry, "You can't always save _everyone_, you dimwits! As much as it pains us all, war means death! It is important to keep as many lives as you can, and not risk those you have unnecessarily!"

Ron finally spoke up, horrified by his friend's speech. "Unnecessarily! Saving those children from that atrocious death was unnecessary? Sweet Merlin, Harry, you act like a Slytherin, not caring about anyone but yourself! I think so much time around Malfoy has addled your brain!"

Their savior slowly sunk down onto his desk chair, and Draco stood behind him, offering his silent support. "No, of course saving them wasn't unnecessary. However, we would have to risk many of our own men to save them, and we probably wouldn't have managed anyway. Do you think I enjoy, deciding who is to live and who is to die? Because trust me, Weasley, I don't. I don't like sacrificing lives like this, "for the greater good", but sometimes, you have to make choices. Whether they are always the right choices, I couldn't tell you, but I still must make them. And when you head your own army, you can try this 'saving everyone' theme. See how far that gets you." He gripped the pale hand resting on his shoulder.

Hermione shook his head, almost sadly. "You've changed, Harry. You're no longer the boy we grew up with. I don't know who you are anymore."

He sighed. "This is war, Granger. Everyone changes."

* * *

I read the quote at the beginning, and was absolutely in love with it. It seemed to suit Harry, truthfully...So, I hope you enjoyed this little bit. :D

Always,

Dreamerdoll


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